Fluid collection receptacle support device

ABSTRACT

A fluid collection receptacle support device consisting of a vertical support member perpendicularly attached or contiguously formed with a horizontal support member that is received between the mattress of a low-rise hospital bed and the underlayment of the mattress. A support means is located on or attached to the vertical support member from which a Foley bag can be supported or hung to allow for proper drainage of fluid from an occupant located in the bed and to further keep the fluid receptacle from contacting the floor.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/662,223, filed Mar. 16, 2005.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to a device which functions as a support device to hold fluid collecting receptacles that are required to be maintained in relatively fixed positions with respect to the individuals from which the fluid is being collected. More particularly, it is concerned with a device for supporting fluid collection bags, such as urinary collection bags, that is placed between the mattress of a low-rise hospital bed and the underlayment of the mattress and which provides an upright support member on which the collection bag can be hung.

2. Background Art

Commonly, fluid collection receptacles such as urinary drainage bags are provided with an open-ended hook so that they may be hung near a patient during the course of fluid collection. It has been a problem to conveniently place such collection receptacles near the patient and still allow care providers to move freely around the patient and the hospital bed. Often, collection receptacles have been hung from stands that are placed near the bed of the patient. However, such stands are prone to tipping and must be circumvented by hospital personnel and care providers when carrying out their duties about the bed of a patient.

Additionally, devices have been developed that can be used as an adapter to securely attach a fluid receptacle to the bed frame supporting a patient. However, these attachment adapters are subject to certain limitations as not all hospital bed frame members are alike and, therefore, the adapters may not attach optimally for every hospital bed. An additional problem with these types of devices, is that because they are attached to the bed frame, they must be disassembled in order to remove them from the bed or transfer them from one bed to another as is common in the clinical setting. Therefore, when a patient is moved from one bed to another, as is common in both hospital and extended care facilities, the device must be disassembled and reassembled on the new bed frame. This is inefficient because it takes additional time and introduces the possibility that the assembly on the new bed may be done improperly.

Therefore, there is a necessity for a fluid receptacle support device that would allow for: support of a fluid collection receptacle, is discrete so that it does not take up additional floor space around the bed of the patient, allows for universal use with most any low-rise hospital bed, and allows for easy transfer of the support device from one bed to another.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the fluid collection support device of the present invention is to provide a device for supporting a Foley bag or other fluid collection device that does not require an independent support that takes up additional floor space around a patient in a long-term care or clinical setting.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a fluid collection support device that can be disposed in close proximity to the patient so that the dangers of accidental snaring of the collection device and the tubes disposed within the patient are reduced to a minimum.

Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a fluid collection support device that is economical and easy to manufacture.

Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a fluid collection support device that is easy to remove from the bed and is also easy to transfer from bed to bed in a clinical setting.

These objectives and advantages are obtained by the fluid collection support device of the present invention which includes a vertical support member, including a notch or clevis for hanging a bag or fluid collection receptacle therefrom, and attached to a horizontal support member that is placed between the mattress of a low-rise hospital bed and the underlayment of the mattress to provide a means for hanging a fluid collection receptacle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying the principles, is set forth in the following description and is shown in the drawings, and is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the fluid collection receptacle support device of the present invention, showing the vertical and horizontal bracing members and the notch for hanging a fluid collection receptacle.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the fluid collection receptacle support device of the present invention, showing the notch in the upper portion of the vertical member for supporting a hook that is in turn attached to a fluid collection receptacle.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the fluid collection receptacle support device of the present invention showing the horizontal member attached to the vertical member.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing the invention in use with the horizontal member received between the mattress of a low-rise hospital bed and the underlayment of the mattress and attached to the vertical member that is supporting a fluid collection receptacle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning now to the drawings, wherein the illustrations are provided to show a preferred embodiment of the invention and not to limit the same, a fluid collection receptacle support device of the present invention is indicated generally at 10 in FIG. 1. The device 10 includes a vertical bracing member 20 attached to a horizontal bracing member 30, the horizontal bracing member being generally disposed between the mattress of a low-rise hospital bed and the underlayment of the mattress, and notch 40 located on the upper portion of the vertical bracing member for supporting or hanging a fluid collection receptacle.

More specifically, device 10 includes a vertical bracing member 20 that is formed from a hard plastic or other suitable rigid material such as aluminum or metal. The vertical bracing member 20 is a solid tube shaped in the form of a three-sided rectangle having a pair of ends 21 and 22. The vertical bracing member is vertically disposed so that ends 21 and 22 are pointing generally downwardly and these ends are attached to the horizontal bracing member 30. Horizontal bracing member 30 is also formed from a hard plastic or other suitable rigid material such as aluminum or metal. The horizontal bracing member 30 is also a solid tube shaped in the form of a three-sided rectangle having a pair of ends 31 and 32. The horizontal bracing member 30 is horizontally disposed so that ends 31 and 32 are pointing in a horizontal direction and so that end 31 is perpendicular and attached or formed contiguously with end 21 of the vertical bracing member 20. Likewise, end 32 is perpendicular and attached or formed contiguously with end 22 of the vertical bracing member 20. The attachment or contiguous forming of the ends 31, 21, and 32, 22 of the horizontal and vertical bracing members forms an overall L-shaped configuration as shown in FIG. 3.

A notch 40 that is a generally U or V-shape is formed in the middle upper portion of vertical bracing member 20. The notch 40 is oriented so that the lower portion of the U or V-shape of the notch is oriented in a generally downward direction. Notch 40 is useful for supporting a hook or other hanging device that is attached to a fluid collection receptacle. Typically, notch 40 has a sufficient depth to allow only minimal movement of the hook from which the fluid collection receptacle is suspended while the hook is placed in the notch. Additionally, other attachment means could be used in conjunction with vertical bracing member 20 for supporting a fluid receptacle, such as a clamp.

The horizontal bracing assembly 30 is received between the mattress of a low-rise hospital bed and the underlayment of the mattress in order to provide a means of support for hanging a fluid collection receptacle therefrom.

Accordingly, the fluid collection receptacle support device of the present invention is simplified, provides an effective, safe, inexpensive, and efficient structure which achieves all of the enumerated objectives, provides for elimination of difficulties encountered with the prior art collection devices and solves problems and obtains new results in the art.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding; but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is by way of example, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.

Having now described the features, discoveries and principles of the invention, the manner in which the improved support device is constructed, arranged and used, the characteristics of the construction and arrangement, and the advantageous, new and useful results obtained; the new and useful steps, structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts and combinations, are set forth in the appended claims. 

1. A support device for a fluid collection receptacle to be used in conjunction with a low-rise hospital bed comprising: a vertically disposed vertical bracing member; a horizontally disposed horizontal bracing member attached to said vertical bracing member, said horizontal bracing member received between a mattress and an underlayment of said mattress; a support means located on or attached to said vertical bracing member for supporting a fluid collection receptacle.
 2. The support device for a fluid collection receptacle of claim 1, wherein said vertical bracing member is a tube in the form of a three-sided rectangle having a pair of ends, each of said ends attached to or formed contiguously with said horizontal bracing member.
 3. The support device for a fluid collection receptacle of claim 1, wherein said horizontal bracing member is a tube in the form of a three-sided rectangle having a pair of ends, each of said ends attached to or formed contiguously with said vertical bracing member.
 4. The support device for a fluid collection receptacle of claim 3, wherein said horizontal bracing assembly is a generally U-shape.
 5. The support device for a fluid collection receptacle of claim 2, wherein said vertical bracing member is a generally U-shape.
 6. The support device for a fluid collection receptacle of claim 1, wherein said support means is a notch medially located on the upper portion of said vertical bracing member.
 7. The support device for a fluid collection receptacle of claim 6, wherein said notch is a generally V or U-shape.
 8. A support device for a fluid collection receptacle for use in conjunction with a low-rise hospital bed comprising: a vertically disposed vertical bracing member further comprising a tube in the form of a three-sided rectangle having a pair of ends; a horizontally disposed horizontal bracing member further comprising a tube in the form of three-sided rectangle having a pair of ends, each of said ends perpendicularly attached to or formed contiguously with a respective one of said ends of said vertical bracing member; a support means located on or attached to said vertical bracing member for supporting a fluid collection receptacle, said support means further comprising a notch medially located on the upper portion of said vertical bracing member. 